Maine Moves Forward on Marriage Equality

by Michael Jones · 2009-01-13 10:23:00 UTC
Topics:

Civil MarriageAfter news yesterday that lawmakers in Indiana and Wyoming were pushing for constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage, folks in Maine organized today to launch a legislative bill to RECOGNIZE same-sex marriage.  If passed, Maine would become the first state in the union to establish same-sex marriage through a legislative process.

Per Shenna Bellows, E.D. of Maine's ACLU (and courtesy of Pam's House Blend):

With the work of a team of dedicated advocates, this year Maine will become the third New England state to legalize civil marriage for same-sex couples.  And we'll be first in the country to pass civil marriage through the legislature...and keep it.

Today I stood with a brave group of gay and lesbian couples, one amazing legislator, clergy, and an impressive array of civil rights groups to introduce "An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom."  All loving, committed couples deserve the dignity and respect as well as the legal protections that marriage brings.

The bill is sponsored by Senator Dennis Damon (D-Hancock), a former schoolteacher, commercial fisherman and Maine High School "Baseball Coach of the Year."

As we've written about before, marriage equality advocates in Maine had one of the more brilliant strategies this past Election Day, organizing outside of voting precincts to target voters who support same-sex marriage.  Their work nabbed 33,000 signatures that day of Maine residents who support marriage equality, and those signatures are now the foundation for which today's bill by Sen. Damon stands.

Check out the video below featuring several "Maine Equality Stories," highlighting the lives of LGBT persons in Maine fighting for the right of civil marriage.  And do you want to help fight for marriage equality in Maine?  Sign up at www.mainefreedomtomarry.org.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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